Dear Editor,
I see many young people stepping forward to get active in Antiguan and Barbudan politics and I commend them for it. But we need them to be the leaders of tomorrow and not the same as the jackass-brained leaders we have today.
If the people in their 20s and 30s are aspiring to be anything like the government’s of the past 70 years, our country will certainly go nowhere. Believe what I am telling you.
To these young people, I would ask: Do you want to be the next Gaston Browne? Do you want to be the next Asot Michael? Do you want to be the next Harold Lovell? The next Chet Greene? The next Lester Bird? The next Baldwin Spencer? Why? Why in God’s name would you want to do that?
Too many of our young political aspirants or contenders are full of capacity, but have absolutely no conviction. They believe in nothing. They are completely pragmatic with no moral philosophy.
They come with education, with tenure in leaderships positions, with qualifications, and with accumen. But they have no vision for what they want to see happen in the damn country, except the same retarded half-assed so-called vision and development rhetoric of their political predecessors, which has gotten us where we are today.
You could have a doctorate in development economics and you may have spent years with the World Bank and IMF, but if you have no convictions and deeply held beliefs about what needs to change, then what good is all your knowledge?
You MUST want to do something differently, right? And yet, many of them do not. Ask them what should change about the way we do anything, and the responses are quite bland and predicable. None seem to want substantial change.
Which young political aspirant in this country of all the young people we see in the senate, in government positions, or on party slates, has told of their desire for major tectonic shifts in the way we do anything?
Who is talking about a new approach to development and diversification beyond rhetoric. Who is talking about creating a better domestic financial market for domestic investment pooling? Who is talking about which key industries we ought to focus on for expansion alongside tourism?
Who is talking about right-sizing, upskilling, reforming and refreshing our civil service? Who is talking about increasing the obstacles to corruption and increasing the demands on officials for integrity?
Who is talking about completely revamping our police force – increasing pay, recruitment standards, specialist teams, improving their deplorable working premises, bringing in digitalisation and technology at every level, creating a joint governmental and civil society oversight board, creating a civilian staffed office for investigating complaints, having the PM and the opposition leader jointly agree on the appointment of a Commissioner and not just the PM – who is talking about these things?
Who is talking about an having an Inspector General whose office can oversee state contracting and procurement across agencies and clamp down on wastage and corruption?
Who is talking about creating an independent office for judicial administration that removes any aspect of court system administration from the hands of the political executive?
Who is talking about actually enacting reform in our schools to introduce things that we talk about endlessly, but do not implement: civics, early sex education, conflict resolution – who is talking about these things?
Who is talking about the chaos and insanity that happens on a day to day basis in the poor administration of our hospital and our clinics under Sir Molwyn Waste of Time Joseph? Who is talking about having an impartial Speaker, to spare us from ever again having to deal with someone like Sir Geriatric Watt?
When in the hell will we have reasonable local government structures that prevent us from having to chase down our MPs for the most basic things?
Which of these young politicians is talking about a plan for St. John’s – the stinking, ungodly, sh*thole that it is. I don’t blame the government for St. John’s. St. John’s is a mess due to a myriad of decades long factors that overlap. But I blame the government for not having a single coherent policy for how to address it.
St. John’s needs ongoing, phased redevelopment – a comprehensive plan that would include driving all new construction to designated areas, a framework for land swaps, the destruction of derelict property deemed to be a hazard, the acquisition of and auction of derelict land with provision made for compensation to the property owner should they come forward, and a raft of incentives for locals with meams to develop new properties in the active zones of the phased redevelopment.
We would like to see a plan that includes wider streets, no-driving streets strictly for foot traffic, and parking lots, or other parking solutions strategically placed to accommodate each row or block of businesses.
Zoning is needed – a corporate and business district, a commerce and retail district with provisions for increased foot traffic, areas for leisure and recreation serviced by restaurants and organised vending, a park and green area. Housing developments need to be envisioned for the long term renewal of the ghettos that dominate the borders of the city.
Will it happen overnight? Of course not. It will take years of consistent and incremental progress, and a majority of private investment alongside state resources. But what is it like now? Has anything remotely like what I described even started? Is there even a plan?
Do we want to see this new St. John’s in the next 10 years? 12 years? 15 years? Because at the current rate of indolence and lethargy, we won’t see anything good come of St. John’s in the next 50 years. That’s 2073. You and I will very likely be dead.
No one is talking about these things.
What is the national plan for adaptation to climate change? What is the name of the document? Where has it been published? Who are the authors? When was it commissioned? Who often is it reviewed and amended? Who were the stakeholders involved in it? What percentage of objectoves have been achieved so far? Does any such plan even exist?
We have a multimillion dollar nonfictionimg solar farm on airport road thay serves as a grazing ground for goats. Millions of dollars spent to feed grass to goats. Millions. Think about that. Who is accountable? Then they say that moving to renewables is expensive for SIDS. It’s true. But, so you know what is even more expensive? Having buffoons in government who squander the nation’s money and show nothing for it.
We should pass a law that enables ministers to be sued in their personal capacities for all the wasted money spent on idiotic, half-thought schemes or good initiatives left to rot. I’m sure they’d perk up and start delivering more bang for every buck.
I don’t hear young politicians speaking on these issues. I don’t hear it from the young leaders in the UPP. And I see all the fresh faces coming to Labour – none of them with the spine to criticize Gaston Browne or his administration, lest they be publicly humiliated and chewed out on the Gossip with Gaston show on Pointe FM on Saturdays, or victimized within their party for having a single independent thought.
Many young politicians seem as though they are desperate to do exactly what their parties have been doing forever. More of the same, just with better skin and a longer warranty. Fifty more years the same sh*t. Beg money. Cry slavery. Blame massa. Tek a knighthood. Sex gyal. Bus gun. Have fun. Like a goddamn dance hall video.
Ernest J. Farfingbottom
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Ernest, Ernest, didn’t I ask you to marry be cause your so brilliant!
Antigua is a mess, but you cannot say anything in the way of criticism about the government otherwise you will be victimized!
Imagine, so, people are afraid to talk!
Like, literally scared so they are being threatened with lay offs and hot venom from he of a high place, so they cower..and remain quiet!!
We will never improve, and move forward not with this greedy administration!
We will remain stagnant, and backward for the foreseeable future..
The motto is keep the people poor and begging!!
Sad indeed!
As always Ernest, you are on point once again.
Antigua definitely needs to attract a better calibre of Politician for our children’s future, or else we’ll end up again with a one party state that hasn’t enhance or improve the country or the welfare of its citizens in 40-odd years – just not good enough!
Again much respect for your knowledgeable and discerning views sir …
I concur. We need people who can show that they receive education and it made them wiser and more knowledgeable about issues affecting society not people who want to get into politics for the perks and self enrichment.
The world is in need of good men and women .
To lead without conviction is truly nothing but damnation on the country.
We need leaders that look to develop the people
“Each endeavoring all achieving”
To safe guard our native land”
This administration has erase those part from the national athem in their leadership the way they do things
Why people vying for political office are always busy cleaning up garbage but after they get into power they stop doing that. Michael Joseph is the latest one seen busy doing clean up.
Carty was cleaning and they rejected him. You can tell when persons want to go into politics. They are always community activitists and care about schools and youths but you have never heard of their work before. I can recall Hilson Baptiste when he offered lunch and other prizes for students from Old Road to Bolans and assisted churches and community groups, donkey years before even getting into politics. If we love our country and community, we must always work for our community and not only when we want to go into politics.
Ahhhhh, Hilson Baptiste @ Independent Thinker, he’s one of those true politicians – back in the day -, who did his ground work, and leg work into looking out for Antiguans as a whole.
Never forget his due diligence regarding getting medicines for the elderly, the infirm and dangerously ill into Antigua & Barbuda.
All you budding young politicians who want to know what a hardworking politician looks like (whatever your political persuasions); look no further than the Honourable Hilson Baptiste.
I hope that he’s recovering well after his recent stroke.
Top, top politician …
Your article is absolutely on point. Youn politicians are being trained by the same tainted and corrupt leaders in office and are only interested in status and financial compensation.
Definitely in point!
Definitely on point!
Couldn’t have said it better myself, Ernest. The young ones see this as their turn.
Looks like we are living in a generation of emotionally weak people. Everything that is said and done in the interest of honesty and decency has to be watered down, or others will find it offensive, including the truth.
In this unimaginatively cloned sphere that we call a developed world; this same one that we live in, it seems we are churning out like a factory assembly line a generation of poorly-educated people – no skills, no ambition, no guidance, and no realistic expectations of what it means to go to work, and really work.
The few intelligent ones have given in and sold out to the sheeple.
Only about 5% of mankind are exceptional people, just like humans only use 5% of their brains, the rest of us unfortunately are just sheep 🐑.
Antigua has that same 5% of exceptional people in it’s population, it’s just for us to be honest in our values and find them.
A corrupt leader can only thrives if when the people allowed it.
“The only thing that is necessary for the triumph of evel, is for good men to do nothing”
Well said. It’s time for a change.
These young individuals trying to join the Labour Party in government, what are they bringing to the table? Just be Lackeys for Gaston? We need people who are accomplished, mature, highly educated, and respectable. We need politicians in their early forties not a bunch of young people flocking into politics to make money. These people are not ready to run any country. They think this is their passport to wealth as few opportunities exist in the country. People who can really make a contribution stay away from the gutter politics that is practiced by the labour government. The country is suffering so much for good leadership.
This vitriol may have some relevance but truly how much change can really be effected?
I think the author is unrealistic. However for the young politicians especially those who never worked one day in the public sector, just know that change is difficult
It is what it is: difficult
Run for the hills now or be prepared for people wanting an arm or leg
Trying hard to find something to criticise but, darn the man is right. I think the main problem is lack of conviction and wanting your country to be the best. How does someone who loves their country replaces or water down their population just to stay in power?
As a youth, wherever I traveled I would always look for things that I believe would improve our lives in Antigua. Alas, our politicians only appear interested in the glitz. They care not to develop positive behaviours and attitudes. So, it appears like Antigua is doomed as we now have Gaston who has vowed to “borrow us out of debt” and is doing just that.
The problem is, we are so now so steeped in this morass that even if we do find a few good men/women who would be willing to clear things up, they won’t last long before businesses, people etc start to yearn for the good old days of providing campaign finances then holding on to ABST, checking your minister; corruption in general.
The article shows why its important to be informed before making yourself sound (foolish)like Alister Thomas. Long winded, and use of words the writer does not understand, best describe this piece. The same persons he/she attacks has pushed for many of the same things the writer argues for. GB has argued that we need to diversify our economy. This is why he has pushed for the stem cell industry, crypto, medical marijuana etc. His administration has pushed the game changing establishment of a UWI campus with the aim of ensuring that more Antiguans and Barbudans get a degree. Ignored by the writer is, compare to countries in the western hemisphere, the Eastern Caribbean has the lowest number of persons per capita holding a tertiary degree. A revolution is happening in A&B but the writer of this article practice’s (deliberate ignorance) cognitive dissonance i
@tenman…. I’ve told you before to stop wasting your time trying to make the blind see. Not even if you bring water from the moon will they say you have done something great. There is a sickness in Antigua and Barbuda where some folks can do nothing but criticize. The weird thing is that they stand aside and cast all sorts of aspersions at the people who offer themselves for elective politics, but they themselves support some of the most discreditable characters this country has produced. They pretend to be so righteous and know what is needed in politics, but none of them will offer themselves for election. Trust me, it is a form of badmindedness that eats at their own soul.
Unsurprisingly, you have not seriously contested a single point made by the writer. You have started out by saying that it was too long for you to read (perhaps because your attention span is shorter than average) and that you did not understand some of the words used (indicating a lack of vocabulary).
You tried to deal with the point they made about diversification. You claim GB is doing wonders to diversify by getting us into stem cell, crypto, and marijuana. Is that a joke? How many jobs have those industries created? And how risky are the latter two when it comes to charlatans landing on our shores to invest in those sectors.
Just the other day, a crypto empire went bust and the a man on the board was revealed to be a big Labourite, as well as a regulator. Shame for Antigua. And marijuana? Marijuana will boom Antigua’s economy? That is the Labour plan for this country? Shady financial sectors and weed?
Tenman, straighten your back please. You have bent over for too long.
@tenman. Unsurprisingly, you have not seriously contested a single point made by the writer. You have started out by saying that it was too long for you to read (perhaps because your attention span is shorter than average) and that you did not understand some of the words used (indicating a lack of vocabulary).
You tried to deal with the point they made about diversification. You claim GB is doing wonders to diversify by getting us into stem cell, crypto, and marijuana. Is that a joke? How many jobs have those industries created? And how risky are the latter two when it comes to charlatans landing on our shores to invest in those sectors.
Just the other day, a crypto empire went bust and the a man on the board was revealed to be a big Labourite, as well as a regulator. Shame for Antigua. And marijuana? Marijuana will boom Antigua’s economy? That is the Labour plan for this country? Shady financial sectors and weed?
Tenman, straighten your back please. You have bent over for too long.
@You cant. In one paragraph you claim I did not nothing to counter the guys argument, yet in the next you highlight the area I countered. These are new areas and like anything new will take time to bare fruit. We now have well known celebs speaking (see Celebrity says Antigua and Barbuda is the new hot spot for .stem cell therapy, Jul 2022, Antiguabreakingnews) about coming to A&B for stem cell. As far as your statement re cryto, the one that went bust was not operating in A&B. Your ignorance to the fact that Calvin Aire is a big player in that space and the hundreads he emplys is telling
@tenman aka Cornell #da_Chameleon of many #Hues!
U kno, a who me be! Neither, U nar Gas_Tan haffu light flamboyant, nar send Jumbee, fu kum luk fu me.
I only got, as far as “crypto, stem cell and medical marijuana,” in your comment, sucking up to Gaston from your knees, no doubt. But, hey, that’s what hypocrites do. Some are very intelligent, even if they’re parasitic in nature.
I’ll address, the “medical marijuana” issue, and your now support for it. U a wan #HYPOCTITE. Call Vere C. Edwards, a liar and I’ll call you a bitch to your face, with the debates from CARIBARENA in hand. You’re very tech savvy, but you don’t have carte blanche on this, so try me. My name is not Alister.
You were vehemently opposed, to anything to do with Agriculture, much less Marijuana, Your excuse, lack of water.
Next, the budding “stem cell” industry, which your touting, yes, yes, yes, yeah. Stem cell is the new drug, for the rich and famous; and, when it comes to the Rich & Famous, as your good #BUDdy @From The Sideline aka Mrs. Condescending says, he prefers to grovel under the rich man’s table, collect his crumbs, and #Legba knows what else, so Antigua’s economy is built mostly on grovelling to the rich and famous.
Now, back to “stem cells,” in the chain of supply and demand, yes we are supplying the new drug for the rich, but where is the supply of stem cells, to support Joey’s Stem Cell Industry, aborted fetuses, harvested umbilical cords/placentas, or from adults bone marrow or organs?
Is abortion still so prevalent in our society? The fetting, party, dancehall, prostitution which the government promotes, in some ways contributes, to the highly sexualised energy which the nation is engulfed in, thus the high rates of pregnancy’s which leads to abortions. There is some speculation here, but if the records for abortions, were kept, as was initial concept through the Family Planning Organization, then speculation can become facts. However, the fact of the matter is, your “stem cell” industry requires a supply of stem cells, so again where are they coming from, to meet the demand for this new designer drug.
By the way, just like certain strains of marijuana are more sort after, and valuable, so too are “stem cells” and the word in some circles, #Body_Parts harvesting is also on the rise in Antigua.
I know you don’t let your family participate in the wrenking Balal, Dionysus, Bacchus Festivities from Carnival to #Skank_City in Gaston’s City West where there’s pussy galore(not the Bond Girl type), but the flopping BBL – Brazilian Butt Lifts clapping like a Hellsgate Bass Drum, shaking their BOOM_BOOM’).
You keep your family far from such areas, as Popeshead Street.
As to the Crypto, I’m lost on this one! But, I can always turn the 🎤 over to our good friend George “Skyewill,” you do remember him from CARIBARENA days don’t you?
That’s his thing money, money and no money.
Again, you already have an idea, of who I am. I am, that I am and with folks like you, I’ll hold no punches call you out for your hypocrisy when it comes, to setting policies which can benefit ALL Antiguans, Barbudans and REDONDANS, and not just a select few who grovels at the tables of, the Rich and Famous.
HUEman life is a #BRAND and you’re well BRANDED. Lest you forget, branding is a business concept which signifies ownership.
My #BRAND is the Flora & Fauna of life, stamped on my being by the Essence, of Nature’s ether.
What’s your brand? Can I introduce you to my S.H.I.T_BRAND? You’d model it well, as the co star in Mrs. Condescending!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
@tenman aka Cornell #da_Chameleon of many #Hues!
U kno, a who me be! Neither, U nar Gas_Tan haffu light flamboyant, nar send Jumbee, fu kum luk fu me.
I only got, as far as “crypto, stem cell and medical marijuana,” in your comment, sucking up to Gaston from your knees, no doubt. But, hey, that’s what hypocrites do. Some are very intelligent, even if they’re parasitic in nature.
I’ll address, the “medical marijuana” issue, and your now support for it. U a wan #HYPOCTITE. Call Vere C. Edwards, a liar and I’ll call you a bitch to your face, with the debates from CARIBARENA in hand. You’re very tech savvy, but you don’t have carte blanche on this, so try me. My name is not Alister.
You were vehemently opposed, to anything to do with Agriculture, much less Marijuana, Your excuse, lack of water.
Next, the budding “stem cell” industry, which your touting, yes, yes, yes, yeah. Stem cell is the new drug, for the rich and famous; and, when it comes to the Rich & Famous, as your good #BUDdy @From The Sideline aka Mrs. Condescending says, he prefers to grovel under the rich man’s table, collect his crumbs, and #Legba knows what else, so Antigua’s economy is built mostly on grovelling to the rich and famous.
Now, back to “stem cells,” in the chain of supply and demand, yes we are supplying the new drug for the rich, but where is the supply of stem cells, to support Joey’s Stem Cell Industry, aborted fetuses, harvested umbilical cords/placentas, or from adults bone marrow or organs?
Is abortion still so prevalent in our society? The fetting, party, dancehall, prostitution which the government promotes, in some ways contributes, to the highly sexualised energy which the nation is engulfed in, thus the high rates of pregnancy’s which leads to abortions. There is some speculation here, but if the records for abortions, were kept, as was initial concept through the Family Planning Organization, then speculation can become facts. However, the fact of the matter is, your “stem cell” industry requires a supply of stem cells, so again where are they coming from, to meet the demand for this new designer drug.
By the way, just like certain strains of marijuana are more sort after, and valuable, so too are “stem cells” and the word in some circles, #Body_Parts harvesting is also on the rise in Antigua.
I know you don’t let your family participate in the wrenking Balal, Dionysus, Bacchus Festivities from Carnival to #Skank_City in Gaston’s City West where there’s pussy galore(not the Bond Girl type), but the flopping BBL – Brazilian Butt Lifts clapping like a Hellsgate Bass Drum, shaking their BOOM_BOOM’).
You keep your family far from such areas, as Popeshead Street.
As to the Crypto, I’m lost on this one! But, I can always turn the 🎤 over to our good friend George “Skyewill,” you do remember him from CARIBARENA days don’t you?
That’s his thing money, money and no money.
Again, you already have an idea, of who I am. I am, that I am and with folks like you, I’ll hold no punches call you out for your hypocrisy when it comes, to setting policies which can benefit ALL Antiguans, Barbudans and REDONDANS, and not just a select few who grovels at the tables of, the Rich and Famous.
HUEman life is a #BRAND and you’re well BRANDED. Lest you forget, branding is a business concept which signifies ownership.
My #BRAND is the Flora & Fauna of life, stamped on my being by the Essence, of Nature’s ether.
What’s your brand? Can I introduce you to my S.H.I.T_BRAND? You’d model it well, as the co star in Mrs. Condescending!
🦁
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
@ Who asked you
The social cultural economic and political trajectories in which we live are asking for opinion pieces like this to be written.
It addresses the reality of the country in an unvarnished way.
The very fact you can not associate your real name with your comments is indicative of the condition of fear and backlash you know you would be subjected too.
You are sadly making yourself a poster boy of the country we all live in. One that is intellectually challenged with little integrity or understanding of good governance.
No one who is not benefiting from the current crisis conditions in which we live would consider this opinion article unrealistic.
The intellectual dishonesty of your comment is not surprising; but astounding for it’s indicative of the dumbing down of our society.
To think that the best candidate for political office are those who have worked in the public sector; indicate not a lack of understanding of the characteristics of leadership, but to be clueless about what you are writing about.
@Dwaine Frazier the writer of the article you well know gave a fake name. Strangely you then attack me, though my identity is known by many, for not disclosing my name. I do note you two seem to be kindred spirits, hence your liking for the drivel he wrote. People like you who need to see the sky falling, should stay a distance from others so you alone can feel the real impact of your negativity. While the dogs bark, this wagon moves on
@Tenman aka Dr. Chameleon…stick your tongue out, man! You my #sparring_Partner today. I got my coconut leaf vein with my #lasso 🪢📿to hog tie you, like we did, as kids with those geckos.
You gotta make your fans like #Wash ‘an Basin(wid dis name yah, s’him, he, metro, trannie, she haffu kno bout Point, and dat dun kno, how Point groom we. Fear is not an option, because it doesn’t reside in our being), and your #BUDdy, Mrs. Condescending aka From The Sideline…put your guard up, so that I can whopp you to a Hemp Pulp on the Marijuana.
First thing on the HEMP INDUSTRY, Gaston Browne is #COGGING, and on the Agricultural side, he’s #COGGING too. So, as far as I’m concerned, when his booth lickers like you, Cornell come to forum’s such as this, and pretend to be pius, righteous, conscious, confident on issues like this. You’ll get crushed, stuffed and smoked, back into your hole, shell or under a rock.
A…the model for the Medical Marijuana is flawed, and MUST be amended forthwith!
It needs to address the use by underage individuals.
It needs to address the use in general, in public.
It needs to address the investment aspects.
It needs to address the licensing aspect.
Time is longer than rope, and while Gaston Browne might have outwitted, those pius and humble Rastas, not all of Us, who chooses the RASTA BRAND are as gullible, as Frank I(rip), Sagyfu, Butcher(rip) etc. We have a model which will benefit ALL, not just the children of the SYNDICATE, the one and same which was dismantled by VC Bird and our foreparents.
By the way, have you Robin’s daughter, and the rest of the hypocrites upgraded, the dilapidated monument at the Tamarind Tree just before the Donkey Sanctuary? It’s being four years, and the last time I checked, it was a Shame to see where ALP & AT&LU began, and not even this can be properly maintained!
Put your gloves up boy! I don’t like punching bags of wind, they don’t punch back, and that takes away the fun, of iron sharpening iron.
They say, that your #Sharp, but this is like a #stepping razor!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De ‘ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
For all those who are agreeing with the writer why don’t yall get from behind yall devices and monikers and actually run for politics. Those who are living abroad and so love Antigua get yall arses back home and form the change yall claim yall wants. But at then again all nar do jack squat. Just chat chat chat and play keyboard gangster. Wtf don’t yall mek the people strive. At lease they put themselves out there not like u punks who hide behind one device screen and made up monikers
PS I said WTF I said!!!!!! It’s my opinion and none of u can’t tell me shit cause it’s my data and unlike yall who are being paid by both parties red and blue
Ernest you should run for office and get your ideas implemented.
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